Republican senators and a few Democrats voted Thursday night to reject an attempt to silence grassroots groups.
The Senate adopted an amendment offered by Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, to strip Section 220 -- the so-called "grassroots-lobbying provision" -- from S.1, an ethics-reform bill.
"This is a clear victory for the Constitution, the First Amendment and grassroots organizations who want their voices to be heard by Congress," Bennett said.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he was pleased with the vote outcome.
"I am an advocate for reforming the way business is done in Washington, but I believe that we should do so without silencing the voices of ordinary citizens," he said.
Focus on the Family Action Chairman Dr. James C. Dobson, said Thursday’s vote affirmed the importance of grassroots activism.
"The very thing that Section 220 would have denied – namely, the rights of citizens to know what's going on in Washington and to have an impact on the bills considered there – is what fueled this victory,” he said
Gary Schneeberger, public policy media director for Focus on the Family Action, said more than 100,000 of the group’s constituents signed a petition to Congress letting their views be known on the issue.
A satisfying vote, a disappointing tally
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said he is disappointed that more senators did not heed the people's outcry.
"It's astounding that 43 senators voted against allowing groups to inform their constituents about what they're up to with our tax dollars," he said. "It doesn't show much faith in our citizens to shut down information about their own government.”
Amanda Banks, federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said the vote would not have been possible without seven Senate Democrats who did heed the people's call -- and crossed party lines to side with Republicans. They are: Max Baucus, D-Mont..; Evan Bayh, D-In.; Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.; Kent Conrad, D-N.D.; Ben Nelson, D-Neb.; Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo.
Grassroots groups, meanwhile, said their attention now turns to the House of Representatives, where the same fight is looming.
“Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats are reportedly planning an assault of their own,” Dobson said. What is being illustrated here is a passion by congressional liberals to consolidate power and operate within a cloak of secrecy. It is unconscionable and unconstitutional. We will not be intimated by attempts to criminalize those who would hold Washington accountable. The right to do so is as American as apple pie.”
Last year, then-Rep. Nancy Pelosi introduced a bill that contained the same type of sweeping regulations the Senate considered and rejected.
The language of Section 220 originated last year when Sens. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., and Carl Levin, D-Mich., unsuccessfully attempted to insert it into the Homeland Security bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., decided to include it his omnibus ethics and lobbying bill, S.1.
Liberals tried a similar tactic in 1996.
"There are powerful interest groups that are pushing for this type of legislation," said Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee. "They believe that there's too much political discourse in this country -- that it confuses people, and that voters and constituents are rather simple-minded and need to be protected from all of the communications. That way, lawmakers wouldn't be distracted by all of these 'contacts' and they would listen to the 'truly wise people' -- like the think-tanks that are cooking up these bills."
TAKE ACTION
1. Please thank your senators, if they voted yes on the Bennett amendment striking Section 220 of S.1. If you are a CitizenLink Daily Update subscriber, click on the blue "Take Action" button in the e-mail to be automatically logged in to our Action Center. Otherwise, click on this link.
2. Wherever you reside, please contact Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, for sponsoring the amendment to kill the onerous provision and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for his leadership on the amendment.
Click here to e-mail Sen. Bennett.
Click here to e-mail Sen. McConnell.
(Paid for by Focus on the Family Action)
